So say a guy wants to build a polygonal structure. Say an 8-sided
gazebo. When roofing it, how would he finish the very peak? Assume using
asphalt composition shingles. No fancy ornament at the tip-top
(weathervane or other dingleberry), but a neat peak is desired.

Is there a special cap you can buy for this? Like maybe a star-shaped
deal? Or would he just cut some shingles and layer them to seal the peak?

Also curious how this would have been done around the turn of the (20th)
century, using composition shingles available then.


--
Comment on quaint Usenet customs, from Usenet:

To me, the *plonk...* reminds me of the old man at the public hearing
who stands to make his point, then removes his hearing aid as a sign
that he is not going to hear any rebuttals.

On Jan 23, 8:38*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
So say a guy wants to build a polygonal structure. Say an 8-sided
gazebo. When roofing it, how would he finish the very peak? Assume using
asphalt composition shingles. No fancy ornament at the tip-top
(weathervane or other dingleberry), but a neat peak is desired.

Is there a special cap you can buy for this? Like maybe a star-shaped
deal? Or would he just cut some shingles and layer them to seal the peak?

Also curious how this would have been done around the turn of the (20th)
century, using composition shingles available then.

Composition shingles of any type would be a poor fifth choice.
Easiest way? Copper cap. If you don't like copper/green, lead-coated
copper.

R

On 1/23/2011 8:38 PM, David Nebenzahl wrote:
So say a guy wants to build a polygonal structure. Say an 8-sided
gazebo. When roofing it, how would he finish the very peak? Assume using
asphalt composition shingles. No fancy ornament at the tip-top
(weathervane or other dingleberry), but a neat peak is desired.

Is there a special cap you can buy for this? Like maybe a star-shaped
deal? Or would he just cut some shingles and layer them to seal the peak?

Also curious how this would have been done around the turn of the (20th)
century, using composition shingles available then.



Ones I've seen, they capped with a copper or lead disc, either beaten or
snipped/riveted into the appropriate shape. Not sure how they were held
on- suppose they coulda been nailed with the heads covered with solder.
Artful way would be with standing seams at each ridge line, crimped
around a screwed-down bracket.

In modern cheap materials, I'd use a circle of that sticky-both-sides
stuff similar to ice dam shield, and frost the top with matching
granules from the roofing material dealer. Or maybe cut a suitable
piece out of matching roll roofing, and try to do a neat seam just past
a shadow line, and glue the sucker down.

Lotsa ways to do it and make it pretty, or at least not ugly. All
depends on your budget and access to artisans.

I never had any reason to look, but I bet Simpson or somebody has a
purpose-built cap available. Note that for a large tall gazebo, a vent
at the top can make it a lot cooler inside in summer- chimney effect.
Especially true if the sides get screened in.

--
aem sends...

On 1/23/2011 5:56 PM RicodJour spake thus:

On Jan 23, 8:38 pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:

So say a guy wants to build a polygonal structure. Say an 8-sided
gazebo. When roofing it, how would he finish the very peak? Assume
using asphalt composition shingles. No fancy ornament at the
tip-top (weathervane or other dingleberry), but a neat peak is
desired.

Is there a special cap you can buy for this? Like maybe a
star-shaped deal? Or would he just cut some shingles and layer them
to seal the peak?

Also curious how this would have been done around the turn of the
(20th) century, using composition shingles available then.

Composition shingles of any type would be a poor fifth choice.
Easiest way? Copper cap. If you don't like copper/green, lead-coated
copper.

Doh! Of course, metal. I guess you can buy these in standard sizes. Me,
being a nonreformable DIYer (plus a cheapskate), would probably try to
make one out of sheet copper with snips, maybe make a wooden mandrel to
smush the center into a peaked shape.

This is actually for a model, by the way, not a real structure.


--
Comment on quaint Usenet customs, from Usenet:

To me, the *plonk...* reminds me of the old man at the public hearing
who stands to make his point, then removes his hearing aid as a sign
that he is not going to hear any rebuttals.

On Jan 23, 10:11*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 1/23/2011 5:56 PM RicodJour spake thus:



On Jan 23, 8:38 pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:

So say a guy wants to build a polygonal structure. Say an 8-sided
gazebo. When roofing it, how would he finish the very peak? Assume
using asphalt composition shingles. No fancy ornament at the
tip-top (weathervane or other dingleberry), but a neat peak is
desired.

Is there a special cap you can buy for this? Like maybe a
star-shaped deal? Or would he just cut some shingles and layer them
to seal the peak?

Also curious how this would have been done around the turn of the
(20th) century, using composition shingles available then.

Composition shingles of any type would be a poor fifth choice.
Easiest way? *Copper cap. *If you don't like copper/green, lead-coated
copper.

Doh! Of course, metal. I guess you can buy these in standard sizes. Me,
being a nonreformable DIYer (plus a cheapskate), would probably try to
make one out of sheet copper with snips, maybe make a wooden mandrel to
smush the center into a peaked shape.

There are several ways to do it, but pounding it into shape would be
high up on my list of ways not to do it. Make one that fits out of
paper/cardboard taped together, then slice one of the folds with a
razor knife, open it up, add an allowance along the cut for a tab, lay
it on a piece of copper and cut it out with snips, mark the folds and
fold them crisply over a sharp corner of a metal angle, and it should
close up to the proper shape. The tab will get soldered from the back
to hold it together.

This is actually for a model, by the way, not a real structure.

Alright. In future, you should probably point that out as it will
unleash other solutions that are not possible in the full scale
world. The above description is for a full size one. A HO scale one
could easily be made from one piece that's scored along the fold lines
and then bent carefully if the roof pitch is fairly shallow. If it's
steep, I'd probably go with the first method.

R

On Jan 23, 7:38*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
So say a guy wants to build a polygonal structure. Say an 8-sided
gazebo. When roofing it, how would he finish the very peak? Assume using
asphalt composition shingles. No fancy ornament at the tip-top
(weathervane or other dingleberry), but a neat peak is desired.

Is there a special cap you can buy for this? Like maybe a star-shaped
deal? Or would he just cut some shingles and layer them to seal the peak?

Also curious how this would have been done around the turn of the (20th)
century, using composition shingles available then.

--
Comment on quaint Usenet customs, from Usenet:

* *To me, the *plonk...* reminds me of the old man at the public hearing
* *who stands to make his point, then removes his hearing aid as a sign
* *that he is not going to hear any rebuttals.

For projects like that I just lay up some some fiberglass and boat
resin. If the structure needs a simple form, it is easy to use
Styrofoam as the basis, with epoxy as the resin (polyesters will
'melt' the Stryofoam. For adding details, good ol' Bondo works fine,
can be sculpted to whatever you want, painted to suit.

Joe

On Jan 24, 1:39*pm, Joe wrote:
On Jan 23, 7:38*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:



So say a guy wants to build a polygonal structure. Say an 8-sided
gazebo. When roofing it, how would he finish the very peak? Assume using
asphalt composition shingles. No fancy ornament at the tip-top
(weathervane or other dingleberry), but a neat peak is desired.

Is there a special cap you can buy for this? Like maybe a star-shaped
deal? Or would he just cut some shingles and layer them to seal the peak?

Also curious how this would have been done around the turn of the (20th)
century, using composition shingles available then.

--
Comment on quaint Usenet customs, from Usenet:

* *To me, the *plonk...* reminds me of the old man at the public hearing
* *who stands to make his point, then removes his hearing aid as a sign
* *that he is not going to hear any rebuttals.

For projects like that I just lay up some some fiberglass and boat
resin. If the structure needs a simple form, it is easy to use
Styrofoam as the basis, with epoxy as the resin (polyesters will
'melt' the Stryofoam. For adding details, good ol' Bondo works fine,
can be sculpted to whatever you want, painted to suit.

You should mention UV inhibitors if you're talking about exposed
fiberglass on a roof. In any event, regardless of the quality of the
fiberglass work, a copper cap would last about, oh, I don't know - ten
times as long, and it would take probably one quarter of the time to
make.

R

David Nebenzahl wrote in news:4d3cd7e8$0$2401
:

So say a guy wants to build a polygonal structure. Say an 8-sided
gazebo. When roofing it, how would he finish the very peak? Assume using
asphalt composition shingles. No fancy ornament at the tip-top
(weathervane or other dingleberry), but a neat peak is desired.

Is there a special cap you can buy for this? Like maybe a star-shaped
deal? Or would he just cut some shingles and layer them to seal the peak?

Also curious how this would have been done around the turn of the (20th)
century, using composition shingles available then.



David, David, David. Have you learned nothing here? errr, duct tape.

On 1/24/2011 11:54 AM Red Green spake thus:

David Nebenzahl wrote in news:4d3cd7e8$0$2401
:

So say a guy wants to build a polygonal structure. Say an 8-sided
gazebo. When roofing it, how would he finish the very peak? Assume using
asphalt composition shingles. No fancy ornament at the tip-top
(weathervane or other dingleberry), but a neat peak is desired.

Is there a special cap you can buy for this? Like maybe a star-shaped
deal? Or would he just cut some shingles and layer them to seal the peak?

Also curious how this would have been done around the turn of the (20th)
century, using composition shingles available then.

David, David, David. Have you learned nothing here? errr, duct tape.

Wow, I was wondering if you were the real Red Green. Now I know!


--
Comment on quaint Usenet customs, from Usenet:

To me, the *plonk...* reminds me of the old man at the public hearing
who stands to make his point, then removes his hearing aid as a sign
that he is not going to hear any rebuttals.